"Yes.
We all went, with the exception of my mother and my younger sister."
"Your mother was then sitting in the mouth of her cave?"
"Yes, just outside it.
She sat there every afternoon."
"Quite so. You started - when?"
"Soon after three, I should say."
"You returned from your walk - when?"
"I really couldn't say what time it was - four o'clock - five o'clock perhaps."
"About an hour to two hours after you set out?"
"Yes - about that, I should think."
"Did you pass anyone on your way back?" "Did I what?" "Pass anyone.
Two ladies sitting on a rock, for instance?"
"I don't know.
Yes, I think I did."
"You were, perhaps, too absorbed in your thoughts to notice?"
"Yes, I was."
"Did you speak to your mother when you got back to the camp?"
"Yes - yes, I did."
"She did not then complain of feeling ill?"
"No - no, she seemed perfectly all right."
"May I ask what passed between you?"
Lennox paused a minute.
"She said I had come back soon.
I said, yes, I had." He paused again in an effort of concentration. "I said it was hot.
She - she asked me the time - said her wristwatch had stopped.
I took it from her, wound it up, set it and put it back on her wrist."
Poirot interrupted gently: "And what time was it?"
"Eh?" said Lennox.
"What time was it when you set the hands of the wristwatch?"
"Oh, I see. It - it was twenty-five minutes to five."
"So you do know exactly the time you returned to the camp!" said Poirot gently.
Lennox flushed.
"Yes, what a fool I am!
I'm sorry, M. Poirot, my wits are all astray, I'm afraid. All this worry - "
Poirot chimed in quickly: "Oh! I understand - I understand perfectly! It is all of the most disquieting!
And what happened next?"
"I asked my mother if she wanted anything. A drink - tea, coffee, etc..
She said no.
Then I went to the marquee.
None of the servants seemed to be about, but I found some soda water and drank it.
I was thirsty.
I sat there reading some old numbers of the Saturday Evening Post. I think I must have dozed off."
"Your wife joined you in the marquee?"
"Yes, she came in not long after."
"And you did not see your mother again alive?"
"No."
"She did not seem in any way agitated or upset when you were talking to her?"
"No, she was exactly as usual."
"She did not refer to any trouble or annoyance with one of the servants?"